Uchiha and Hyuuga
by yvie
Summary: Another look at the possible relationship between Uchiha Itachi and Hyuuga Hinata. It started when they were very young.
1. The Question and the Answer

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto_

**Uchiha and Hyuga**

**Part One: An Unknown Past**

**Chapter One: The Question and the Answer**

It was a gentle day.

Uchiha Itachi leaned against the rough bark of the tree he was sitting in and enjoyed the quiet breeze. He was high up enough that the sounds of children playing nearby would not disturb him but he could still hear them faintly.

He knew that today was the day Hyuga Hiashi, the head of Hyuga, would come to meet with some of the Uchiha clan, including his father but he was not interested in their matters.

His mind was occupied by other thoughts.

He noticed the commotion some way off and knew that Hyuga had arrived.

Soon they came into sight and he saw Hyuga Hiashi and his people surrounded by Uchiha.

He was carrying a child in his arms. He put it down when he saw the children and said something to it. Then he walked away.

The child looked lost even in his dispassionate mind but the children ignored it.

Being children, they did not know how to be considerate and they went on with their game.

Soon, the child went off to one side and sat on a nearby swing. It looked very small and he guessed that it must be around his brother's age.

The children were kicking a ball around and it bounced towards the child.

It took the chance to get off and run forward, hoping to pick up the ball and join the game. However, in its haste, it tripped and fell.

The children did not seem to notice it and Itachi saw the child get up and brush itself down. It turned to go back to the swing and he saw that it was crying softly.

No one heard, not even him, but he knew because he had exceptionally good eyesight.

He was mildly curious now and he leapt off the tree and landed silently.

He was like a shadow extended from the tree and he walked over to the child.

He thought that it was a girl more because of its gestures than its looks.

As young as it was, it looked rather sweet, he thought for a moment, much better than that one at home who already have the beginnings of an annoying smirk on his face.

He did not want to stay down there and be noticed by anyone because everyone annoyed him. He picked the crying child up and leapt back to his perch on the tree with ease.

He was so swift that the child did not notice until he was sitting on the branch with it on his lap facing him.

It looked up and sniffed, curiosity stopping the tears effectively. It spoke, "O-onii-san?"

Itachi thought that it was somewhat strange because this child did not seem to be afraid of him and yet, it did not approach the other children.

He did not know that this child had been more around adults than children in its young life.

It did not really know how to be with other children and because it was shy by nature, it did not dare to try. To it, Itachi seemed more like an adult and hence, it was not afraid.

Because Itachi did not know about all that, he was intrigued by this contrast in behavior. He was a stranger to it and yet it showed no fear, only a bit of shyness from the quiver in its voice.

Its voice was soft and quiet, unlike most of the children in Uchiha, including his brother. Well, to be fair, his brother was already quieter than most but this one seemed to surpass him.

Itachi did not give voice to his slight surprise but instead, asked the question he had been thinking of, "You are Hyuga, one of the strongest clans in Konoha. You should not be afraid to approach the other children. Why were you afraid?"

His voice was soft as velvet but his tone had steel behind it. He gave it no slack despite its young age.

While he was speaking, he did wipe the tears on its face though because it seemed to be the natural thing to do.

He did not really know how to be around children because he did not have a childhood even though he was only ten years old. While his appearance was that of a child, his manner and presence was not.

Part of that was because he was a precocious child and part of it was his experiences. It was also because of the way his people treated him. They did not treat him as a child but as 'other'.

The child bit its lip at his questions, thinking hard. This person said things that its father sometimes said.

It answered hesitantly, not sure how to convey what it thought, "U-uh… F-father said that to me too. He said that I am Hyuga… b-but…"

It broke off and bit its lip again. Itachi pressed, "But?"

It looked at him with its pearl-white eyes, the distinctive mark of Hyuga, and continued, "…I'm Hyuuga but… but Hyuuga is not me. I-I'm Hinata."

Itachi was shocked; this was the answer to the question he had been thinking about and could not come up with and yet this child, this girl called Hinata, answered. He had not had such a surprise in a long time.

He was silent for a while, lost in his own thoughts and little Hinata did not disturb him. She had been taught to speak only when spoken to.

Itachi had been feeling rather frustrated lately because he felt so empty inside.

Everyone said that he was the pride of Uchiha, that he was a rare prodigy and would do great things.

He did not understand what they were saying because what he had done so far had not been great or difficult.

He knew he could do things a lot of other people could not do at his age but since they came naturally to him, they were not really achievements.

He knew he was clever but he thought, "So what?"

He did not understand why he was the pride of Uchiha. The things he did were what other older shinobi did.

Besides, they were things that he had done, not them, so why were they proud. Should it not be him that was proud?

They did not make sense to him sometimes.

Graduating at the age of 7 did not mean anything to him because he thought there was no point in staying in a place where he could not learn anything.

He already knew the jutsu and theories that were taught there. How he knew he did not know. To him, they were simply a matter of using his brains, a little bit of common sense and a little of imagination.

He could not understand what the fuss was about.

Mastering the Sharingan when he was eight was the first challenging thing he had ever done that he could remember.

He thought that the chunin exam would be another challenge but no, it was not. It was merely another mission: simple and straight-forward, to him anyway. Lots of people seemed to find it difficult but he did not.

Soon after that exam, he started to wonder why he was doing all that.

He did not find anything that was worth doing anymore. Besides, whatever he finished did not belong to him. They were never his to be proud of because he did not think they were worthy to be proud of, no matter what everyone else thought.

Yes, they were belonged to Uchiha and he had nothing left. His life was empty because all that he did was attributed to the pride of Uchiha.

Everyone looked at him and saw the pride of Uchiha and what he could do to add to it.

He knew that as a fact but it also made him empty and frustrated.

He did not know why he was doing all these and he hated it.

Itachi looked at this little girl; it must be a little girl because he remembered that the head of Hyuga had a daughter called Hinata and it had said that it was Hinata.

She gave him the answer.

He was feeling frustrated and empty because he did not feel alive.

He was being forced to be Uchiha and all of Uchiha was forced into him.

The person called Itachi was lost and now he found it again because he realized that it was lost.

He vowed that he would never just be Uchiha again. He would also be Itachi and he would start living the life of Itachi as well as Uchiha.

That resolved, he looked down at the little figure.

She was staring at her fingers which she was twiddling, probably in boredom but she had not disturbed him and he was pleased.

He decided that this child was not so bad after all, compared to most of the other children that he had seen.

He said, "Hinata, look at me."

She started at hearing him speak suddenly. He had been so silent before and she did not have the courage to disturb him.

She looked up shyly and peeked at him from under her lashes.

She had thought that this onii-san looked stern, a bit like her father but now he did not look as stern and she was not so nervous.

She looked at him and waited.

Itachi twitched a rare smile and Hinata widened her eyes a little at the change on his face.

She was too young to know Itachi was a handsome boy but she felt that his smile looked nice and she tentatively smiled back. It was a sweet, shy and innocent smile and Itachi liked it.

He knew that she was smiling at him, this boy whom she did not know and not the pride of Uchiha. She was looking at him, just him and she was smiling.

He had a rare moment of pure joy.

He said again, "Hinata, I am Itachi, Uchiha Itachi."

Hinata tipped her head to one side and repeated, "I-Itachi-niisan?"

Itachi nodded, "Good girl, remember my name and remember me, Hinata."

Hinata glowed at his praise; she was praised so little that she took his it and treasured it in her heart.

She said in her little voice, "H-hai, Itachi-niisan."

Itachi and Hinata, though they did not know it, became friends up on a tree in that gentle day. It was to have a great impact some years later.


	2. A Bit of Warmth and a Piece of Freedom

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto._

_Author's Words: This is not supposed to be up because I was supposed to be studying. However, lack of self-control gave birth to this chapter and I hope you enjoy it._ **Uchiha Itachi** **was six years older than both Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuga Hinata. In the first chapter, Itachi was ten and Hinata was four. **

**Chapter Two: A Bit of Warmth and a Piece of Freedom**

Four figures appeared at the entrance of Konoha and the sentries waved them in. They were an Anbu team that had just come back from a mission.

The lead figure dismissed the group and they went off in different directions.

Itachi, one of the figures, went towards his home slowly. He was not in any hurry to get home because he still had a lot of energy to burn.

He had not found the mission difficult and it had annoyed him. All those missions and every one of them had been similar.

He was starting to feel that emptiness inside him again.

Sometimes training alone had helped because the training he devised for himself had been much more difficult and challenging any one could have imagined.

However he could only train by himself only so many times before he wanted to, no, needed to try out the results.

The missions were not hard enough for him to even bother and he was getting extremely frustrated.

Suddenly he remembered Hinata.

After that day, he had not seen her again for almost a year.

He thought that since he had nothing better to do, he might as well go and see how she was. He was not concerned about the hour or the fact that the child would be asleep.

He only wanted to see her. He wanted to know if she had changed or if she was still the child he remembered.

She would be five years old now and he changed direction to make his way to Hyuga.

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He leaped onto a branch of a nearby tree to survey the seemingly quiet compound of Hyuga.

The Hyuga clan was one of the largest, oldest and most powerful clans in Konoha and good as he was as a shinobi, he was not willing to take any chances.

Maybe it would be better to say that because he was good as a shinobi and that was why he knew how dangerous it would be to just go into a strange place uninvited without doing at least a preliminary scout.

He had been to the compound before on a scouting practice and it was one of the most difficult practices for scouting he had done.

The people in Hyuga had Byakugan and it gave them extremely heightened eyesight.

One of the additional attributes to Byakugan was the ability to see through objects and during the practice, if just one Hyuga had glanced his way with Byakugan activated, it would not matter how silent or steady he was, he would still be seen.

Once he worked out the safest route, he leapt over the wall of the compound and started to make his way to little Hinata's room.

It did not take him very long to get there and he climbed in through the window, quieter than a cat.

He saw a huddled lump in the middle of the bed. He went over and carefully lifted the cover and underneath was little Hinata, fast asleep and curled up like a kitten.

He smiled a small smile at the cute sight and sat by the bed and patted her on the shoulder. She muttered something indefinable and turned over.

He patted her again and this time, she stirred.

Itachi called her name softly and Hinata opened her eyes and blinked sleepily.

He called again and she sat up, rubbing her eye sleepily.

She saw a silhouette against the window and was scared at first, being kidnapped before when she was three. Then she heard the person call her name and she remembered the soft and gentle voice.

She became awake at once and leapt into his arms, surprising Itachi very much, "Itachi-niisan!"

Itachi caught hold of her and shushed her. He lifted her up and saw that she had grown a bit taller, though not by much.

He was secretly pleased that she not only remembered him but recognized him before he identified himself and the fact that she trusted him.

Although his practical side told him that it was a foolish thing for her to do, his personal side was much happier than it had been in the last year.

He said, "Hinata, you look well."

Hinata smiled shyly at this older boy who did not feel like a boy, "H-hai, Itachi-niisan. Itachi-niisan look well too."

She held out her arms, hungry for a hug; she instinctively knew that this was a person who would not mind giving her a hug. She had not had one in so long and it made her sad.

Itachi knew what she was asking for and held her close and tight. Hinata hugged him back and tears came to her eyes.

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She was too young to understand why she was crying but when Itachi released her and looked into her face, he knew why. She had been very lonely too.

In this huge household, there was no one for her to rely on in private.

Once, she thought that she had Neji but since his father's death, he had not only been distant but hostile and she had been hurt because he had once been so kind to her, his young cousin.

Itachi was too cynical to sympathize with her loneliness but he did feel pleased that she was relaxed around him.

She did not mind showing him her weakness and seemed to rely on him just like that.

She was not asking him for anything.

She did not ask for his protection or for his intelligence.

She did not ask him to teach her ninjutsu or give her extra coaching.

She did not even ask for conversation.

She only wanted a hug and anyone could have given her that but she chose to trust him without knowing who he really was.

He liked that because being too outstanding had its price.

He may be respected and revered but he was also the target of jealousy and envy, as well as greed.

There were people who thought that he was too clever and too strong.

Some of them were very against the fact that he was privy to top secret information that some of his missions conveyed. They said that no one knew what he really thought in that head of his or what he really felt under that expressionless face.

His clan was very protective of him of course because he was their pride.

Normally he did not care either way but sometimes, it did annoy him when there were so many people buzzing around him, talking about him or criticizing him over his head, as if he was not there.

He had his moments of furious rage at everything around him.

They made him out to be so amazing but in reality they were stifling him with their rules and traditions. He had so little room to grow and stretch and no way to prove to himself what he could really do.

The hatred and anger simmered deep inside him, slowly and surely. He felt that someday he would leave this place and be free of it all.

He just had to wait for the right moment. The moment that would tell him, "Ah, it's time."

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Hinata tipped her head to one side and looked at Itachi with wide and wondering eyes.

He had been silent for a while and she did not disturb him. She did not want him to go away so she kept quiet, hoping that was the right thing to do.

Her father and other elders in the clan never liked it when the young spoke out of turn and she was used to keeping her mouth shut until someone spoke to her first.

Itachi came out of his thoughts after a while and he looked at Hinata, aware that she had been quiet all this time and that she was letting him have his peace.

It was very different from what he had in his clan.

He was still a youngster in his clan, despite his abilities and he often had to listen to his elders go on and on.

Also, there were the children in his clan that sometimes came to ask for coaching, like his brother and he hated it.

He had to go and hide if he wanted any quiet time in his clan. Everyone knew everyone and one's business was the clan's business.

Itachi sat down on the bed, still holding Hinata and set her on his lap.

He asked what she had been doing lately. She replied, "T-training and studying and… and…"

Her voice faded softly. She could not really think of anything else that she had been doing apart from those two.

Well, there was always crying but even she knew that it would be a silly answer.

Itachi could tell that she was not happy and guessed that her training and studying were not going too well.

He could tell that she was not excellent shinobi material and given her position, it was bound to be difficult for her.

He could not help her there because she would be learning ninjutsu only known to the Hyuuga.

There was something he could do though and he said to her, "I won't be going on missions for a while. I'll visit you every now and then, Hinata."

His tone was rather bland but Hinata felt his kindness all the same. It was so rare that she treasured every bit of it that came her way.

She smiled at Itachi her trusting gentle smile and her small arms reached out.

This time, she was not asking for a hug but it was to give him one.

It was the only way she knew to thank him for thinking of her. Her young mind did not process all that of course but her actions were based on her instincts and base nature.

Itachi accepted her hug.

It was strange because normally, he disliked other people touching him causally. Even as a child, he disliked his mother giving him hugs or holding him.

He had been an unusually independent child, strange and quiet.

Perhaps it was because Hinata was also quiet.

Perhaps it was because she did not irritate him.

Perhaps it was because he knew he could leave her anytime and there would be nothing to hold him back.

She was a little piece of freedom that he had and no one knew that he had this little piece of freedom.

Nothing bound him to her except his will and that was precious because it was his decision to make and not someone's order.

He liked it and he treasured it in the same way that Hinata treasured her little bits of happiness and warmth.

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Hinata also had her rare moments of joy and warmth.

She remembered her father's rare smiles, given just because she was his daughter and not because she had been clever.

She was not clever and she was aware of it even at that age. She was not deaf and could hear her clan talk about her when they thought there was no one around.

"Is she really a Hyuga?"

"How can the clan be governed by such a shy and slow child?"

"Why can't she be more like her cousin, Neji?"

The comments and criticisms never stopped and little Hinata was sensitive and frightened by all of them. She was inadequate and the clan did not want her.

She felt cold and lonely and there was no one for her to rely on.

She could not rely on anyone because her father said that she was supposed to be strong and independent.

She was supposed to be Hyuga but she was not!

She was not enough to be Hyuga and she did not want to be Hyuga…

She only wanted a little bit of warmth.

The little bit of warmth that Itachi was showing her without asking for anything.

She was too young to consciously realize how precious that was: unconditional care.

However, she could feel that he was showing his care in his way and she was warmed.

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The night was going to creep away soon and people would be up.

Itachi knew that he had to go. He said, "Go back to sleep, Hinata. I will come and see you again."

He put her down and she crept into her covers obediently.

He covered her with the blankets and she looked at him with a question that she did not dare voice, fearing it would be too impertinent.

He understood and said, "I will come, Hinata, when I can."

Hinata smiled a small and timid smile and closed her eyes. She was tired and drifted off to sleep.

Itachi stroked her cheek with one finger. She was so little and so soft, like a little animal.

He could easily have crushed her but he did not want to do that.

He knew it was not worth doing because it was too easy.

He knew that he would miss her if he crushed her because she was his first bit of freedom.

It was something to be treasured and she was someone to be treasured.

He thought and was amused at his own sentimentality.

He turned and left the Hyuga compound, just as careful and silent as he came, the perfect shinobi.


	3. The Abyss and the Mirror

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto._

**Chapter Three: The Abyss and the Mirror**

Itachi walked slowly down the bustling street.

He had just finished training in his free time and was going home. He was in no hurry though because recently, he was on rather hostile terms with a number of the other shinobi in his clan.

They were mostly his generation who feared and envied his genius. He was not bothered by them but it was very annoying to have to deal with snide remarks and subtle threats all the time.

There was one or two that he was better with but not being a social person, he did not like to hang out with them all the time.

Besides, one or two among a group did not help to disperse the enmity and sometimes only made it worse. Therefore, he preferred his own company because it was so much more peaceful and he was able to think.

He had been studying old scrolls since he could read because there was a lot of interesting jutsu in there for him to learn and experiment on.

Some scrolls were even forbidden scrolls that were locked up but he got to them anyway. It never took him too long to get past the guards and traps and whatnot that were put there to prevent people from stealing forbidden information.

Some of the traps were actually quite challenging but once he got past them, they were no longer challenging and he would become frustrated very quickly.

He listened to the noise of the people going about their business in the streets and wondered how they could be contented like this.

It seemed to be a very boring and meaningless existence to him and he wanted more than that.

No, he needed more and soon, or he would go mad. What was so important about normal everyday life?

Sandaime had said that it was what they fought to protect: this normal existence that peace allowed.

He did not understand what was so special about it though and he did not care to.

It did not suit him and he was discontented with it. Yes, he was very discontented indeed.

Still, there was nothing he could do at the moment. He felt that it was not time yet. He would be patient until it was time and then he would leave.

He did not know what he could do yet and he did not know where he would go but he knew that it would be a different existence from this peaceful, happy place that irritated him to no end.

In the meantime, he wondered if there was anything he could do to pass the time and avoid going back home. He glanced at passing stores and suddenly something caught his eye.

It was a small round box with a little bird on it that looked as if it was about to take off.

He went over to take a closer look. It was very pretty with light reflecting off the little bird made of glass.

The shop assistant saw him looking and came over, saying, "This is a music box. You can listen to it if you want."

Itachi said, "Thanks."

He picked it up and turned the little key attached to the side. Then he released it.

The little bird started to turn and Itachi heard music coming from this little box.

He did not recognize it, not being a musical person. He did not even listen to music on the whole. However, this music soothed him.

It was gentle and lilting, bringing to him images of pleasant times and happier memories.

He had been so stressed lately that he had almost forgotten that there were happy times for him and his family as well.

There were not many because his father was a stern workaholic who probably cared more about the clan than his family for all he knew, but they were there.

He remembered when Sasuke was born. He had held his little brother and for the first time, marveled at the power of life.

It was truly a one moment thing though because after that, he discovered that having a baby in the house was noisy and pretty much annoying.

Still, Sasuke was his only brother, the only person other than himself with the same blood running in his veins and he was not too bad on the whole.

He was one of the few people Itachi actually liked spending time with, sometimes anyway.

He listened to the music and remembered other things as well. He remembered another person that he enjoyed spending time with, not that anyone would guess.

He remembered little Hinata. She was totally different from Sasuke and himself.

She was so shy and weak and in practical shinobi terms, basically useless. However, she was also sweet and warm to hold, like a little bundle of animal.

Itachi did not see her often because for his own reasons, he kept their friendship, if it could be called that, a secret.

He had never told Hinata to keep it a secret but somehow, he knew that she never told anyone either.

Maybe it was because she had no one to tell.

Perhaps it was just because she was not the type to speak much.

If that was true, then it made two of them because he was the silent type as well, though they were silent for different reasons.

Thinking of her, he suddenly wanted to see her. He had not seen her in a while and he thought that it would be nice to see her.

The music soon stopped and he looked at the little music box. He thought to himself, "Why not?"

Itachi picked it up and paid for it. Then he left.

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Hinata sat hunched in a little ball in the middle of the flower field in the woods near the Hyuga compound.

She had spent the whole morning training with her father and now she had some time to herself.

As usual, her father was not too pleased with her and young as she was, she could feel his disappointment like a heavy weight on her back. Therefore she had left the compound and came to this place where few usually came.

Here, she was away from the critical eyes of her clan. Despite that, her little body was still very tense. She was too used to being nervous of others to relax completely even when she was by herself.

Only in sleep was she able to let her body and mind rest. Hinata might be young but there were a lot of things she could feel.

She was a sensitive child by nature and while this might be a boon when she was older, it was too heavy a burden for her young mind.

It allowed her to feel too deeply the hopes and consequently the disappointments of her clan.

She could see their worry about the clan's future.

She could feel their joy when her sister was born. She smiled a little at the thought of her sister.

Although she did not see her a lot, she was still happy that she had a little sister. She thought that perhaps someday, they might become close.

Her sister was no more than a toddler now, around two years old. She was already showing great potential even at this age.

Hinata would not be able to tell but she had overheard some of the clan talking about it. Mostly, people did not notice her because she was so quiet, not to mention, small.

She did not mind though, because she would much rather go unnoticed most of the time. That way, she did not have to feel all the eyes upon her all the time.

She was so into her own little world that she failed to notice that someone was in the field with her until a shadow appeared in front of her.

Startled, she looked up and saw an expressionless Itachi.

She gaped because he stood against the sunlight and the shadows made him appear to be so different, so tall and powerful that she could only stare at him in silence.

She usually saw him at night, against the soft moonlight which made him so much less threatening and almost young.

She would not know and probably would never realize but what she saw and what other people saw was quite different.

In the daylight, most people would see Uchiha Itachi as a quiet, extremely skilled but non-threatening child-adult because he seemed so much older than his years.

However, in the nighttime, if anyone saw him, if they were unlucky, they would catch a glimpse of the oni inside him, the darkness that he hid so well from the world.

Hinata did not know any of that.

She only saw a real person called Uchiha Itachi who was a very clever shinobi because she knew how difficult it was to navigate in the Hyuga compound without anyone noticing.

She had heard of his genius of course but she was too young to really appreciate it or understand what it meant.

In her eyes, Itachi was special but not in the way everyone thought he was.

To her, he was special because he was not critical of her. He just accepted her as she was. He was not particularly kind or gentle, though she thought he was.

That was because his attention was freely given and to her, that was the greatest gift anyone could give her.

She did not know anything of his dark thoughts and gnawing emptiness.

She was not aware of his growing frustration and his capacity for the forbidden.

Sensitive as she was, she was too young to sense his deepness and darkness.

Young as she was, she was sensitive enough to see past the shinobi and touch the person inside.

She reached out not for the shinobi but for the person called Uchiha Itachi.

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Itachi picked her up and looked into her eyes. They were so different from his.

His eyes were dark and deep and fathomless, like an abyss that sucked everything and was hungry for more.

Her eyes were pure and translucent and reflective, like a mirror that saw and showed the truest self and still did not turn away.

He was always fascinated and calmed when he looked into this pair of eyes. Hinata said softly, "I-Itachi-niisan…"

Itachi sat down in the flower field, with Hinata on his lap. She was so soft and little, like a little animal.

A little child-animal that looked at him without the fear, the envy, the ambition or any other negative emotions he could see in others' eyes.

Even his brother who adored and admired him truly could not help feeling resentful at times of his skill and his importance that took away all their father's attention.

Only her eyes were pure and simply glad to see him. Not for any other reason, just the sight of him made her happy.

He could not understand such simple happiness. He did not remember being so simple either. Maybe he was once like her but if so, that time was long gone and forgotten.

He did not mourn it but he did find a strange kind of peace when he was with her.

He would not want to be like her because she was too weak and he despised weakness.

However, he did not want her to be like him either because that would spoil that purity that seemed to be an integral part of her.

He took out the music box that he had just bought and held it out for her to see.

Hinata looked in wonder at the delicate little box with the delicate little bird on it, ready to take flight.

She whispered without being aware of it, in awe at the lovely ornament, "Pretty…"

Itachi wound up the little key and let the music flow free into the air. Hinata was enchanted by the magic it appeared to her innocent mind.

She had a little half-smile on her face and Itachi, in turn, was enchanted by the innocence that he did not remember ever having.

It was a tranquil moment for the both of them, a rare precious moment that was all too hard to come by.

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Hinata did not understand the music but in her ears, it was light and free.

She seemed to see the song fly into the air and disappear in the sunlight, up, up and away from the gravity of the world.

Her eyes followed the invisible sounds as they floated upwards towards freedom from this little box that was holding them in. Itachi followed the direction of her eyes but he could not see anything.

He made no sound to disturb her from her magical little world. He knew that it was a world that came rarely to either of them.

They were both too bound up with the gravity of this world that they were living in.

While he did not care for being so pure and innocent, he did not grudge her this little moment.

To him, purity and innocence meant an early grave but he would not wish it upon her. He would not care about anyone but she was different.

To him, she was different. She was his little secret, his little bit of freedom before he could fly away for good. She was his choice and his reminder that he was Itachi, not just Uchiha.

She might be destroyed one day but it would not be by his hands and it would not be while he was still in Konoha.

He would leave one day and when he did, he would not miss her but he would remember her.

Thinking that, he stroked her hair softly, carefully, gently, a soothing rhythmic movement.

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The music was finished and little Hinata tried to look up at him while not disturbing his movements.

She liked him patting her like that. She had seen parents patting their children on the head and they were always smiling happily.

She had always wanted someone to pat her on the head, like he was doing now. It made her feel loved and treasured.

She did not need anything else.

She did not want a lot of attention or a lot of toys.

She did not need to be the heir to a prestigious clan.

She only wanted a little gentle, loving attention from someone who saw her and treasured her because she was Hinata, just Hinata and not anything else.

She did not even know how to put what she wanted into words. She was still only a young child, seven years of age, a normal child born into a demanding family who had wanted someone more than she was.

Hinata smiled shyly but happily as Itachi looked at her with his fathomless eyes and his gentle hands smoothing her hair softly.

She looked so content that Itachi was also content for the moment.

He had a small but real smile on his face that reached his eyes and gave those bottomless depths a hint of light.

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Little Hinata suddenly remembered something that she had heard some of her clan saying the other day.

It was a sudden thought but it brought on a totally different mood and Itachi immediately noticed the loss of her little smile and the quiet twinkle in her eyes.

His hands stopped and Hinata tensed.

He put his hands under her arms and lifted her until she was facing him directly. It did not cost him any strength at all because she was so light.

Still, he put her down, sitting down straddling his legs so he could look at her face directly. He was again certain that he did not like the loss of light in her eyes.

He said in a gentle but firm voice, "What is it, Hinata? What are you thinking?"

Hinata had her head down again but when he spoke, she peeked up at him tentatively from under her lashes. She looked down quickly again, a reflexive action that did not please Itachi.

He did not berate her though, waiting patiently for her to speak as he was sure she would, to him. He was right and Hinata looked up again shyly before lowering her head and biting her lip.

She said in a little voice that quivered slightly, "A-ano ne, Itachi-niisan, d-do you… d-do you think… it… it would be b-better… if… if I… if I was never… b-b-born…?"

Silence.

Hinata twiddled her little fingers nervously. She did not mean to remember that conversation but it just suddenly popped up in her mind.

She did not mean to spoil everything. She could feel her eyes start to tear up because she was sure that Itachi-niisan would despise her for being so stupid.

She was too afraid to lift her head and see his expression. She should never have spoken.

No, she should never have come to the flower field in the first place. Maybe it was true, it was better that she had not come to the world.

If she did not come, then it would talented Hanabi who would be firstborn and heir to Hyuga.

She should never have been born.

She should never have been born.

She should never have been born.

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Itachi opened his mouth slowly and said, "If… If you had not been born, Hinata, I would be much troubled."

Hinata was startled from her grey thoughts by his unexpected comment. She looked up with surprise and no little amount of hope.

Itachi was not looking down at her. He was staring straight in front of him.

After a while, he looked at her. He looked into her teary eyes and saw himself reflected in those pure orbs.

He said, "I would be much troubled if I had not met you, Hinata, that day."

Hinata's eyes opened wide when she heard his words. Her mouth quivered as if she wanted to speak but could not.

Itachi ignored that and went on, "You reminded me that Itachi does not only mean Uchiha. It also means Itachi. Don't tell me that you forgot what you once said, Hinata."

He did not think he was asking too much of a little girl of seven, though he was certain she had forgotten.

When she said those words she was only four years old. At that time, she was answering his question the only way she could, with simple sentences.

It was not out of profound wisdom that she said that Hyuga was not her and she was Hinata. It was just what a little child saw with her simple straightforward logic and said with her simple grasp of language.

Unlike Itachi, it was almost certain that Hinata did not dwell on what she had said that day.

It was too faraway a day for a young child to recollect every word they had exchanged.

However, Hinata did not dare say that yes, she had forgotten.

She looked at Itachi anxiously, trying to figure out his meaning, just like that day which seemed so long ago now.

In her mind, she knew that part of what he was trying to tell her was that he did not think she was better off unborn. He had also said that he was not only Uchiha but also Itachi.

Hinata might not be up to the standards her clan wanted her to be but she was not stupid.

She understood and she bit her lip nervously before saying softly, "I-I am not just… I am not just Hyuga. I-I am also Hinata."

Itachi looked at her and smiled. He patted her head softly as he had been doing.

Hinata's tears fell and she said, "I-I won't forget, Itachi-niisan! I won't forget again!"

Itachi held her close while Hinata cried and all the while, he patted her on the head, smoothing and soothing.

He knew that despite her words, the chances were that she would forget from time to time what she had said.

He knew that because she was so weak and her clan was so strong.

He knew how heavy a clan could be because even he had felt its weight.

She would forget but it would be there when one day, she would be strong enough to not only remember those words but also put them into her life, as he did now.

Yes, as he did now, slowly, surely, secretly, he was putting Itachi before Uchiha…

Putting Itachi before Uchiha, even as he smoothed and soothed this little piece of freedom that he treasured so carefully, away from others, from Konoha, from the world.


	4. Fever and Care

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto._

**Chapter Four: Fever and Care**

Hinata coughed and turned her head slowly to look at the music-box on the oriental dresser next to her bed.

She had been ill for several days already and had not been able to go to school. She had been lying in bed most of the time, feeling very weak and tired.

No one came to disturb her rest apart from making sure she took her medicine and her meals.

Her father was busy but he did visit her once or twice these few days. He had been his usual stern self though Hinata thought that he had not been as stern as usual.

Hinata had been so happy to see her father but she was also very nervous when he was there.

She closed her eyes and her thoughts drifted to the parents and children that she sometimes saw in the streets. They looked so carefree with each other.

She could not understand why they could be so carefree. It seemed so difficult to her.

She was tense all the time with everyone.

When she was at school, she was not noticed because she was so quiet but she would be tense anyway.

When she was at home, she was also tense because everyone there looked at her and she could feel them putting her on a balance with 'the heir of Hyuga' on the other side.

She would feel their eyes saying that she would never measure up to what she should be like and it made her nervous and afraid.

It seemed as if she had been like that all her short little life.

She sometimes wished that she could grow up quicker and then perhaps she could improve more and become cleverer and not disappoint her father anymore.

She would pray secretly that she would grow up quicker so she could become stronger.

She wanted to be tall and strong someday and become a clever shinobi.

Maybe if she jumped more, she would grow quicker…

Hinata sneezed and coughed a bit more.

She turned slowly towards the other side of the bed. It was a cloudy night tonight and she could not see any stars.

She whispered to herself, "Maybe the stars need to rest too…"

She sneezed again, a little animal-like sneeze that was quiet like she was. She sniffed daintily, a little person with a little sniffle.

She had been sleeping so much that she could not get to sleep.

Hinata closed her eyes and started to count little sheep. However her mind wandered and little sheep turned to little stars that slowly turned around and around in her head.

She opened her eyes because the little stars in her head were dancing and it was making her very dizzy.

She sneezed again. She finally decided to drink some water.

She sat up slowly, her head twirling a little because it seemed very heavy when she was ill.

Her head twirled and she caught herself. Her head was definitely very heavy.

She wondered dizzily if that was because her head was heating up like that hot-air balloon she saw once.

Maybe that was why everything seemed to be moving slowly. Her head was turning into a hot-air balloon and she was floating…

No, wait, hot-air balloon…

No, what was wrong… Hinata scrunched up her little face and tried to think about what was wrong with her head turning into a hot-air balloon.

However, this time, her body started to sway as well. It would seem that she was burning up again.

Suddenly, she remembered that she was going to drink some water. She edged towards the edge of the bed slowly, dizzily.

She murmured to herself, "Water… drink…"

She reached out a weak hand slowly. It took hold of her mug.

She reached out the other hand slowly. It took hold of the ear of the water-pitcher.

She raised her mug slowly and poured it over the water-pitcher. Nothing came out.

She held it not too steadily for a few seconds before she realized that this was not right. She put down the mug slowly and lifted the water-pitcher.

This time, her hand did shake because the pitcher was quite heavy.

She was about to pour the water into the mug when her fingers grew weak and decided to let go by themselves.

She was startled and instinctively closed her eyes, ready for a loud crash… which did not come.

She waited a little bit and peeked open one eye. She saw someone standing by her bedside.

She opened the other eye and saw that there was really someone standing by her bedside.

She blinked slowly at the dark clothes in front of her. She then remembered to look up.

She moved her head up slowly and her eyes came into contact with a face that made her smile instinctively.

She said slowly, "Itachi-niisan…"

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Itachi had been watching her for a while now.

He had heard her coughing and sneezing and had perched outside her window, thinking maybe he should just leave. If she was ill, then he doubted that she could keep him company.

Then he noticed that she seemed to be a bit odd.

He saw her turn from side to side. It was not a strange action but she was so slow!

Then she had sat up, still in slow motion. Itachi did not remember seeing anyone move so slow except for the really old people in villages.

When she had sat up, she had swayed as well.

Since he had not been ill before, he would not know how she felt but it seemed as if she was not fit to be by herself. Not if she was weaker and slower than usual.

He considered her weak and slow even when she was well. Now, she carried that to new stage.

Itachi decided to stay a bit and observe her for a while. It was something he had not seen before and it seemed interesting.

He made no sound as he watched her. Part of his senses was careful to be aware of his surroundings.

He did not forget that he was intruding into the Hyuga compound and it would simply not do for him to be caught.

It would be highly unlikely that they could catch him but being detected was not acceptable to him. It could mean life and death if this was a mission.

To him, these visits to the Hyuga compound were more important than those stupid missions and it would definitely gall him to be detected.

He saw Hinata move ever so slowly towards the side dresser with the mug, the water-pitcher and the music-box he had given her.

Then he was somewhat surprised and not a little amused when he saw her trying to pour water from the mug into the water-pitcher.

He was not often amused, being a rather serious person but this was beyond normal. He decided that she must be rather unwell and that would probably be an understatement.

Just then he noticed her hand shake as she lifted the water-pitcher.

He had a feeling it was too heavy and in a flash, he was in the room and catching the water-pitcher before it fell and woke someone up.

Though Hinata did not know, he was well aware that there were people sleeping near her room this night. Usually there was no one nearby but perhaps it was because she was ill and they wanted to be more careful.

He held onto the water-pitcher and watched her with a blank face. She obviously was waiting for the sound of a crash.

He waited and soon she opened her eyes, slowly again, one eye and then the other. Everything was in slow motion this night, as least for her.

She even blinked slowly before looking up slowly.

Itachi knew that she was special to him but he was still surprised at this somewhat… pleasant feeling, when she smiled, slowly of course, at him and called his name, also slowly.

He got the mug from her hand and poured the water into it. Without a word, he held it to her lips for her to drink. It was quicker that way.

She sipped slowly and sighed with relief when she was finished. Itachi put the mug back on the dresser. She only drank very little but that was not his concern.

He was interested though, in her being ill. He did not think that his brother had ever been ill or maybe he had and he did not remember.

He sat down on the side of the bed and put his hand on Hinata's forehead. It was definitely much warmer than her normal temperature.

He thought that he should cool her down. Being a self-sufficient shinobi, he looked around her rather bare room and did not see anything that might be useful.

Then he turned his head and realized he missed something. The water-pitcher.

However, the water in the pitcher was not cold enough, he thought. He picked it up and without a word disappeared out her window silently.

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Hinata blinked in surprise. She remembered that Itachi was just here.

She was awake… was she not? He appeared again and she blinked again.

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Itachi had actually gone to the pond he remembered seeing in the Hyuga compound and he poured the water into the pond carefully so as not to make a splash.

Then he dipped his hand into the pond. It was just as he had thought, it was chilling cold because of the night air.

He dipped the pitcher into the pond and filled it with water. He went back to Hinata's room.

It did not take him more than a few minutes. If he had not been so careful, it would have taken him even less time.

He set the pitcher down on the dresser and sat down on the bedside again.

He quirked a smile at Hinata who was looking more like a little animal than ever with her luminous eyes that were a bit watery because of her being ill. Her face was flushed and she looked clueless.

She would make a terrible shinobi if she carried that expression with her all the time. Still, Itachi did not dwell on that tonight.

He leaned close to her and whispered softly, "Lie down, Hinata."

She blinked, "Ah. Hai." Hinata obediently scooted back onto the middle of the bed.

She lay down and looked at him, feeling better now that he was here.

Itachi smiled an unusually gentle smile, "Good girl."

He got a piece of cloth from one of his pockets and dipped it into the pitcher of ice-cold pond water.

He was careful not to make any noise when he wrung the excess water from it because he had no wish to leave the compound in a hurry.

He then wiped Hinata's face gently. She closed her eyes when the cold cloth touched her fevered skin. It was so comfortable.

Itachi did it several more times, wiping her neck and arms and legs which were visible from her nightclothes.

Then he went and changed the pond water which had gotten warmer then he was wanted. With the fresh pond water, he wet the cloth again and placed it on Hinata's forehead.

He remembered that it was dangerous for a person's brain to get too hot. She was weak already; it would not do for her to become stupid as well.

He could at least talk to a weak shinobi; he had no wish to talk to a stupid one.

Then he caught himself, if he had his way, soon he would not be talking to her anyway. Not for a very long time.

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That night, they did not talk.

Itachi did not want to take unnecessary risks and Hinata was too tired.

Under Itachi's amateur but watchful care, she soon fell asleep.

She felt safe with him there and in her sleep, she caught hold of something warm and held onto it until it disappeared in the morning when she woke up, tired but recovered.

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Itachi was pleased to see her fall asleep easily. He brushed her hot cheeks gently with the back of one hand.

Her hand was half-open, like a little fist and on a whim, he touched it. She unconsciously caught hold of his fingers and he let her.

He could wet the cloth and place it back on her head one-handed anyway.

That night, he watched over her silently and only left when dawn broke together with her fever.

He did not leave any trace of himself, taking the cloth with him.

He did pour the pond water away though, not wanting her to drink it by mistake.

It would be rather stupid if she recovered from her fever only to fall sick because of drinking dirty water.

All in all, it was an interesting night. Being a shinobi, he usually took more lives than he saved but that night, though it could not be called saving a life, he still nursed someone.

Yes, he nursed his little Hinata and she would probably be the first and only person he would ever watch over like that.

He smiled coldly at the thought and headed in the way of the place he called home… for now.


	5. Flight

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto._

**Chapter Five: Flight **

It seemed to be any other day and no one thought that it would be otherwise. That was, no one except one.

It was a weekday and also a school day for those who attended Konoha's Ninja Academy.

The streets were alive with people as they went about their business. People greeted each other cheerfully. Birds sang and everywhere there was only peace and stability.

At least, on the surface that was the case. No one knew that there was something building up under all that normality and stability.

Something that was dark and deadly. Something that most would term evil but as I asked, "Who are you to judge me?" so I thought, "Who am I to judge others?"

Though I did not judge the act that would happen under the harshly open sky, I could not deny, as no one could, that the act was one of terror, blood and ultimately, sorrow.

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Itachi had always wondered what he was capable of.

He had always wondered how far he could go.

He had always wondered what he would be willing to do to go higher and higher and still higher.

He had felt it was coming nearer. His time to be free of this place was near.

He could feel it and he wondered and waited until he whispered to himself that it was time to sever the traditions and ties that were holding him back.

It was time to try and see if he was capable of taking on those who were supposed to be so close and yet remained so distant.

He knew them well, indeed better than any other for he was born of them, brought up by them and lived among them.

His powers came from them; the bloodline they shared, the beliefs that were passed on from father to son.

Though he was not close to them, they were still people he had been with since his birth thirteen years ago.

Once he had thought that his life was only for them, for them and their pride until a little girl told him otherwise, without even knowing she did so.

Now he knew that he did not live for them for they did not live for him.

They bound him down from the sky with their so-called morality and traditions.

They limited his strength while praising and envying it.

It was time to end all this and be free.

To be free of them – the Uchiha and free of them – the shinobi of Konoha.

It would be killing two birds with one stone. Finally, he could let it out.

This deep, smoldering hatred and contempt that simmered inside him these years would finally be released.

He could finally know what he was able to do.

He could finally let his mask off in front of those who imprisoned him with invisible bonds of blood and clan.

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Hinata had been feeling out of sorts all day.

She did not know why but she had trouble concentrating and she did even worse than usual during her training with her father and at school.

She kept looking over her shoulder for someone or something.

She was confused and frightened. She wondered what was going on with her and why she was feeling so unsettled.

She had never felt like this before, not even when she was ill.

What was happening with her? Was she ill again?

She wanted to tell someone but she could think of no one to talk to.

She secretly wished that Itachi-niisan would visit her that night so she could ask him.

He had always been so patient with her and he was so clever. He could get into the Hyuuga compound in the middle of the night and no one knew!

She may be little but even she knew how difficult that was with so many skilled shinobi of the Hyuuga clan around.

Yes, most of them would be asleep during that time but she knew that there were people who stayed up and kept watch.

Besides her training in ninjutsu, she was also taught a lot about their clan and these she had no problem remembering.

She knew that it would be unlikely that Itachi-niisan would visit her that night because he visited her so rarely.

Therefore she tried to ignore the unsettled feeling inside her. She was good at pretending to ignore feelings.

She always had to, in lots of occasions.

In occasions like when she heard people talking about what a disappointment she was.

In occasions when she failed to master the ninjutsu her father was teaching her.

In occasions when she was feeling so lonely that she longed to just curl up in bed and stay there forever.

Her young mind was too limited to imagine much worse than that though she did not know it.

While the world seemed to spin in front of her clear young eyes like a merry-go-round that never stopped being bright and merry, she was left standing outside, always waiting for her turn and never getting it.

It was difficult being this young and having to cope with feelings she could not name much less understand.

The loneliness, the helplessness and the bleakness of her existence seemed to spell despair on bad days. She had a lot of those days.

There were rare days that she could remember smiling shyly at people.

Some of her earlier birthdays were happier and there were always the rare times when her father was not disapproving.

There were the early days in her meeting with her cousin, Neji, before her uncle and his father died.

There were also the times when she saw Itachi-niisan that she never told anyone about.

She had no one to tell and giggle with but most of all, she was afraid that if she told anyone, he would never see her again.

He was like a spirit that would come and go as he pleased.

She remembered some folktales she had heard of that told of spirits that would appear in front of humans.

However, the spirits would always leave when they were exposed or their secret was told to another.

She knew that he was not a spirit of course but she could not help being afraid just the same.

There was so little sparkle in her little life that she treasured this one.

This sparkle that she knew to be Uchiha Itachi who paid her attention even though she was not worthy of it.

She was so weak and useless and he was everyone's hope and pride.

Young as she was, she could clearly see him standing tall and strong, infallible while she was so small, trembling even as the wind blew.

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There was a full moon that night.

Itachi's senses, usually acute, were sensitive to the extreme because of it.

He knew that his brother was still at school and would not be back yet. He did not care about him at the moment.

His brother might be worth his attention or he might not be; for now, it did not matter.

There would be time enough to test him later when he finished what he had set out to do this brilliant night.

The moon, so cold and round and pale, would be witness to what he was about to do.

He would finally be able to find out his depth or rather he should say, how far he could fly.

He was dressed in his usual outfit, just like any other mission that he went on but this was so much more than those mundane missions.

This would a day to remember, for him and not for anyone else.

He would know and he would leave this prison with its false freedom and words of 'for the greater good'.

He wanted no part in contributing to that greater good. It clouded the senses and made one dull.

It forbade progress with its limitations and so-called morality that was narrow and hypocritical.

The people all say that they have imagination but that was a lie. They only see what they expected to see, nothing more.

Those preconceptions would kill them someday. They were all talk and nothing was done to go higher and higher for a greater world than just the clan and Konoha.

He hated all of that and he would put an end to one part of it tonight – his family, his clan, his prison.

As Itachi sat still as a statue, waiting to start his last 'job' in Konoha, he contemplated what this would all mean.

He was satisfied and he opened his eyes, no longer dark and fathomless but red and fiery – the sign of Uchiha.

It was time.

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Hinata could not sleep that night.

She huddled under the covers, still and quiet, as if she was prey waiting hoping that the predator would not notice her.

Her heart pounded and she trembled slightly. She was used to being nervous and frightened but this was new, unnatural and she did not know what to do.

She did not know why she was so panicked or was it terror that she was feeling.

She could not tell; she only knew that she wanted someone to be with her but she was immobile with her nameless fear.

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will herself to sleep.

It did not work and she prayed for the sun to rise because she could feel the moon outside her window. It seemed to be so cold and unfeeling, like an ice-queen.

She did not like the moon tonight because it scared her.

Suddenly she could feel someone standing in her room.

She did not even dare to breathe lest she drew attention to herself. All sorts of nightmares flew through her mind in that short moment.

She was so frightened that she thought her heart was going to jump out of her skin.

She could feel herself needing to breathe and she started to panic though it did not stop her holding her breath.

Before she suffocated, someone lifted the covers off her trembling figure and she did not dare open her eyes in case she saw a living nightmare in her room.

She had no idea what it would look like but she did not want to find out, not being an adventurous little girl.

She suddenly remembered that she could scream and she quickly prepared to scream for someone.

She open her mouth and was about to take a deep breath when a hand was clapped over her mouth. She could still take her breath though or she would have expired from lack of oxygen.

She smelled a familiar presence from the warm hand over her mouth and she opened her eyes in surprise.

She saw Itachi leaning over her and he looked tired.

All her earlier fears melted away as she looked at his much welcomed face. He could always make her feel better just by his quiet but strong presence.

It was not like her father's powerful figure for it overshadowed her while Itachi's did not. It cradled her gently and she knew that nothing could harm her when he was there.

She blinked back tears of relief and she got up quickly, albeit a little clumsily because she had been tense for most of the night.

When Itachi was sure she was not going to scream, he took back his hand and watched her as she launched herself onto him with relief.

She was sobbing under her breath and softly saying his name over and over again, as if he was a spell to make all nightmares leave.

He did not hesitate and put his hands around her. Those hands that had just killed so many.

He thought about the irony of it: his hands that had delivered so much death was also capable of giving the gentlest comfort.

She was as soft as ever, a little of bundle of freedom that he could leave because he had gotten his own. He would not miss her but he had to come before he left.

Other than his pathetic waste of a brother, she would be the only thing left in this place that would have any value for him. He would remember her.

He let her hold him a while longer for comfort and then he gently pried her arms away.

He looked down into her eyes, still swimming in tears but she had stopped crying.

He said, "I am leaving, Hinata. I have come to say goodbye."

Hinata blinked as she tried to understand what he was saying.

She stammered softly, "I-Itachi-niisan? W-when are y-you going to come back?"

Itachi shook his head, "Maybe never, I don't know. Take care, Hinata, maybe someday, I'll come back for you."

He smiled gently at that. He did not mean to say anything of the sort but it slipped out.

He did not mind because it sounded good to his ears. However, at the moment, the word 'burden' would not be able to describe her uselessness therefore he would not take her away.

Hinata seemed to understand his words and she looked down, biting her lip.

Itachi said, "Will you not say goodbye to me, Hinata? I must leave now."

Hinata looked up at him quickly and she rubbed away the tears from her eyes childishly before giving him a watery smile, "G-goodbye, Itachi-niisan."

She had so many things she wanted to say to him. About her odd fears that night; about his strange words that night; about when she would see him again, etc.

They all disappeared as she felt the slight urgency in his voice. She would not make trouble for him who had been nothing but kind to her.

She said again, "G-goodbye, Itachi-niisan, t-take care."

She saw him smile briefly and he was gone like the wind.

Hinata looked out the window and into the night sky but she could nothing except for the pale moon that seemed to dominate the illusion of peace in the night.

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The next morning, the sun stripped away the illusion of the peace in Konoha, just as Itachi had intended.

The clan of Uchiha was discovered. Its people were found massacred with one member missing and the other unconscious.

Hinata was as shocked as any other person about the horror that was committed but she could not forget the person he had been. She could not find it in her heart to judge him so she kept her silence and her peace.

She did not speak to anyone about him but she would always wake up in the middle of the night and look out the window in silence.

Hence the years passed by and she grew from a child to a young girl; from a young girl to a young teenager but not for one moment did she forget him.

No she would always remember and she would wonder if she would see him again while being afraid of what it might bring.

In the meantime, she grew a little more confident, much more skilled but was still shy as ever.

As she became older, she would get bits and pieces of news from people around about the notorious Akatsuki and the reappearance of Uchiha Itachi.

When she heard those news, she would look up into the sky without saying anything.

Then she would turn resolutely and say to herself, "I-I will fly too, one day, like Naruto-kun, like Neji-niisan… like him."

**The End of Part One**

_Author's Words: _**There will be a Part Two because I love these two characters so much.**_ However, you will just have to wait until I have some idea on how to get around the original about their situations. Until then, you will have to be patient, my friends._ **Thank you to all those who have enjoyed this story and let's hope the next part will begin soon.**


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